The Break of Dawn
The Break of Dawn refers to the ten-year period after the Spiders were defeated and their chain of command effectively destroyed. In this time, several key events would reshape the political landscape of Valusia. These changes include the formation of the Kingdom of Solace and the Republic of Valusia, as well as a host of other minor factions spread across the once unified Human nation. Furthermore, this period reflects the rippling effects the Spider invasion had across the whole of Tarth, directly or indirectly upsetting the balance of power that would lead to the Dawn Wars. The Fall of the Spiders The Return of Solace Even with the defeat of the Masters, the poisoned sky remained for many months. The crops continued to rot, sickness continued to spread, and hordes of leaderless Spiders still lingered, rampaging anything that crossed path. The only difference was that the remnant Spiders were just as likely to attack their own, which only made them more fierce and unpredictable. To make matters worse, the Green Mist over Orwell was expanding further East and with no one to stop it, would soon envelope Aragon. The land of Valusia was still anything but safe. No longer occupied by plans of attack, Lord Herrick the Wolf, de facto leader of King's Port, was free to dispatch his troops for the protection of the villages and townships. Although much of King's Port laid in ruin, the walls remained strong and in time, he knew the city could be rebuilt. What Herrick did not expect was the influx of refugees that converged upon the city once the roads were being patrolled again. The Spiders had destroyed entire villages, massacred families, and left the farmlands in decay. The people who flocked to King's Port brought next to nothing with them, and when they arrived, found nearly as much awaiting them. Hope was a commodity found in short supply. Herrick was a military leader and well revered, but he generally only understood chain-of-command--issue a command and a subordinate will carry it out. In that regard, he was stern and ordered, but ill-equipped to deal with hundreds of angry and starving civilians. While some mistakes were made, Herrick tried his best to balance military and logistical affairs. Unrest was growing and Herrick could see that this powder keg of malcontent could explode at any moment, and take all of King's Port with it. He needed a miracle just to keep the populace from destroying itself...and some would say he got it. When the first rays of Solace finally broke through the polluted skies, seedlings began to emerge from the soil and the populace finally realized that the worst was over. As the light of day continued to push back the darkness of the Evernight, the sunlight illuminated a vessel a few miles off the Valusian coast. Even from such a distance, the gleaming banner of the Sun Priests was unmistakable. It was Archbishop Rivaldi's ship, and it appeared to be fully manned and heading for King's Port. The Archbishop himself was the first to emerge from the ship, and he was greeted with much fanfare for he was now the highest ranking clergyman in King's Port, and presumably, in all of Valusia. His arrival not could have been more timely, for not only would he become instrumental in restoring faith and peace within the demoralized populace, his ship bore exotic fruits and vegetables from Kos and the Dragon Isles. The miracle of how these perishables were kept fresh during the month-long voyage is never explained, save that Solace is capable of many wonders. Needless to say, the people of King's Port rallied around the soon-to-be Highpriest and the masses gave voice to the notion that Rivaldi should become the leader of King's Port. Knowing that opposing this movement might lead to further discontent, Lord Herrick conceded his role as Magnate and the pledged the loyalty of he and his men to the Church of Solace. Rivaldi assumed the mantle of both Magnate and Highpriest without even the slightest hint of opposition, unifying church and state in the process. Although the people of King's Port were quick to accept the Church as the new governing body, many of the townships and cites to the East were not so hasty. Largely sparred from the wrath of the Spiders, Eastern Valusians from cities such as Losston, Eldin, and Hulking were governing themselves quite well without the intervention of the Church. Even despite Lord Herrick's endorsement of Magnate Rivaldi, these cities remained loyal to the crown and were convinced that King Kaden or his heirs retained the rightful claim to the land. And true enough, this sentiment carried weight and forced the Magnate's hand. A formal decree from the Magnate was issued declaring that the land be scoured for any trace of King Kaden's young sons, or any man or women from Kaden's lineage. Until such time that an heir could be produced, Rivaldi reassured the people that he and the Church would continue to look after populace just as the King did before them. This decree alleviated the fears of the people for a short while, but few from the clergy suspected that an heir would be found so quickly. Only a couple of weeks later, a carriage rode into the city with a sizable accompaniment of warriors bearing the emblem of Tristom. Wishing to speak with no one other than the Magnate himself, the men informed the townsguard that inside the carriage was Lady Marissi Androvo of King's Port, wife of Lord Garrick Androvo. Along with her handmaiden, the Lady was also accompanied by the Queen's handmaiden Arie and a young child, no older than five. Lady Androvo was eventually allowed to speak with Rivaldi and recalled her harrowing tale of escape and survival in the midst of the Spider invasion. She spoke of how the evacuation of King's Port become a nightmare with several groups splintering off and becoming separated from the main force, seemingly on purpose. Her group, led astray through a passageway that emerged at the bottom of the cliffs, was ambushed and robbed. With little recourse and virtually no knowledge of where within the catacombs the main force was heading, this band consisting mostly of frightened servants and children headed off along the coastline. Her own guardsman, severely wounded in the skirmish, succumbed to his injuries mid-way through this journey. Her rousing recollection of events continued as she spoke of this perilous journey, and the brave men who gave their lives protecting the lady and her entourage from the Spider onslaught. After almost two days of travel on foot, the few weary folk that remained had finally reached the gates of Tristom. Through sheer force of will, they had outpaced the invaders, but they knew that the Spiders would lay siege to the town at any moment. A young couple took them in, and they barricaded themselves in the root cellar; and there they stayed until supplies ran out. It was only during this time that she recognized the Queen's handmaiden and the young, terrified boy that clung to her tightly--none other than the King's youngest son Jarrel. The rest of her tale sounds very familiar to those of other survivors: rummaging for food, avoiding detection, persevering through the brink of starvation, then finally, waking up one day to the return of Solace's light. It was a riveting tale, to be certain, and the boy did have a striking resemblance to Kaden's youngest son. The usually solemn Rivaldi was so moved by her impassioned account that he immediately anointed her as a Savior of the Realm. As for young Jarrel, the Magnate would eventually have him declared as King after waiting to see if the older son ever turned up. Naturally, Highpriest Rivaldi would have to give up his position as Magnate, but would retain his control over the realm as Regent until the young King came of age. The Surface Wars While life was beginning to return to some semblance of normal in Valusia, the Dwarves and Orcs continued their ancient conflict in the deeps beneath the Dread Mountains. For nearly eight hundred years have these two denizens been at odds with each other, and for nearly eight hundred years have the Dwarves been able to outwit, outmaneuver, and outmatch their savage foes. For all the strength and cunning the Orcs have displayed with every engagement, it is their own over-ambition that becomes their undoing every time. When the plans of the leader fail, that leader dies. That has always been the way of Karthax, the inevitability being that Orc leadership roles tend to be short-term endeavors. So what if one avoided that inevitability? That one would be great indeed. Great enough to thwart the staunch Dwarven defenses. Great enough to push the Dwarves to the surface. Perhaps even great enough to unify the tribes and restore the Orcallum. If such a one existed, Karthax would be pleased. Surely, Karthax had a foul grin on his face when Gar-vilum first took to the battlefield. There was nothing special about Gar-vilum's birth. No significant victory marked his arrival. No ominous signs from the heavens that depicting his future conquests. Nor did he spring forth from his mother's womb to torment and murder his infant siblings. In fact, nothing out of the ordinary ever happened in Gar-vilum's youth that would distinguish him from the rest of the rabble. And that is exactly why his impending rise to greatness was so shocking, and that same trait continues to be why he is so dangerous. Throughout his youth, Gar-vilum was unremarkable. He was the runt of his five brothers, and almost always the last to be fed. While not gifted with the greatest strength or vitality, he had what so many other Orcs do not--patience. As his brothers brutalized each other, Gar-vilum would pick his shots and grab all that he could before the rest could react. He'd take his fair share of beatings within that time, but never missed a meal entirely. Some might call him cunning, but that is not a word he would use. When he and his brothers were old enough to finally march against the Dwarves, only he and the eldest returned. In the next skirmish, only he returned. His father mocked him for not having the honor to die beside his brothers, telling him, "next time, return victorious, or do not return at all." Once again, Gar-vilum took the field against the Dwarves, and once again he would be spared from death. Surrounded by dead, the Dwarven victors cursed at him and attempted to force him into retreat, but he refused. They spat on him and threw stones at him, but he would not budge. Growing impatient, one of the Dwarves took a swing at him. Stepping nimbly aside, Gar-vilum swung around and clove his axe into the back of the attacker's skull. A second Dwarf approached and spoke with confidence, "Only fools are in a hurry to meet their maker. You are not such a one, are you, boy?" The Dwarf continued, "I have need for someone like you." With a motion of his hand, the remaining Dwarves engaged the young Orc and managed to subdue him. "You are going to make a rich Dwarf out of me, I can see it now. Yes, with a little polishing, I imagine you'll be quite the spectacle." It would be many years before the name Gar-vilum resurfaced in Dwarven chronicles, but when it did, no longer would it belong to an Orc whelp but rather to a wily pit fighter who had more than earned his keep. Finding and training worthwhile skirmishers for the pits was more of a hobby than a profession for Kjor Hammerfist. After all, he was a soldier first, entrepreneur second. Certainly none of his men minded the few extra coins they received for looking the other way once in a while. And so what if those coins were spent gambling on the fights Kjor arranged between prisoners? No one was going to cry over a few extra dead Orcs. Why, they're practically foaming at the mouth when given the chance to tear each other apart. Besides, the men need a few hours of quality entertainment, right? Those must have been the thoughts going through Kjor's mind just moments before Gar-vilum clove it in twain. When Gar-vilum returned to his father, he brought with him the heads of his captors. While this pleased his father, Gar-vilum brought much more in the form of knowledge. He witnesses how they forged steel. He observed and even adopted their ways of war. But most importantly, he learned their way of thinking and of concepts that were foreign to him: love, compassion, and loyalty. By understanding Dwarven motivations, he devised ways to undermine them. "To crush an enemy, a warrior needs to break more than just his foe's walls and weapons; a warrior must also break his foe's heart and mind. Do this and his body will soon follow." The Orcish onslaught was never more vicious and never more cruel. They did unspeakable things to those they captured, eliciting all manner of responses: angered threats, pleas for compassion, but most importantly, foolish acts of valor. For centuries, the Dwarves were content to allow the Orcs to make the first move. Now that Gar-vilum had flipped the table, it was the Dwarves who ran recklessly to their oblivion. As Dwarven casualties mounted, their tactics grew more desperate. Before long, the Dwarven armies were in headlong retreat on many fronts in order to regain some common ground to mount a defensive. Gar-vilum's terror strategy was working and his troops continued pushing the Dwarves back. Yielding more and more ground each day, Dwarven morale was being drained with each defeat, which served to further fuel the Orcish offensive. Gar-vilum's stunning victories garnered him tremendous support among the core tribes. With his continued success, more and more tribes rallied behind his might. While the Dwarves contemplated fleeing to the surface, the tribal chieftains spoke of unification. After nearly one-year of bloodshed without failure, the Orcs tribes came together to reform the Orcallum and the shaman heralded Gar-vilum as Zhuul; the first to hold the title in centuries. Unprepared for the scale and voracity of the Orchish onslaught, the Patriarch of the Stone Clans sent an envoy to the capitol of Valusia seeking reinforcements. In the meantime, the Dwarves garrisoned the city of Stoutham as a defensible fallback position. Little did they know that the Battle of Stoutham would become the scene of the heaviest and bloodiest fighting since Gar-vilum took command of the Orcish forces. In the lower rungs of the city, the dead lined the streets with skirmishers battling for position atop their corpses. While war rampaged both inside and outside Stoutham's walls, the Dwarven envoy was being turned away by Magnate Rivaldi. The Humans were still rebuilding their nation after the Spiders had destroyed many of their lands. Despite the implications that losing Stoutham would "open the floodgates for a full-scale invasion of Valusia," the Magnate dismissed this impending threat, leaving the "heathenish Dwarves" to fend for themselves. Without Valusian support, the Orcish siege upon the city of Stoutham lasted for months. The hardy soldiers of the Stone Clans managed to hold their ground despite massive losses, eventually repelling the hordes of the Orcallum. Having finally tasted defeat for the first time since beginning his incursion, the Zhuul was not pleased. He had each of his commanding officers slain for their failure and reminded the newly promoted that they must will return victorious, or not at all. It was a lesson that all his warriors took to heart. When the Orcallum returned to attack Stoutham once more, they would see they city fall or see themselves cut down in the process. That is why the seige of Stoutham continues to this day. The Red Massacre While the Magnate's refusal to lend aid to the Dwarves is often criticized as the result of some personally or racially fueled vendetta, in truth, the Magnate knew that his soldiers would soon be needed elsewhere. No one questioned the Magnate's popularity in King's Port, but by the time warring between Orcs and Dwarves spilled out onto the surface, Rivaldi had still only achieved a tenuous hold over the Eastern Valusian cities. They did not see him as a "savior of the realm" but rather as an ambitious holy man who happened to arrive at the right place at the right time. Had Lord Herrick not given his endorsement, it is unlikely that Magnate Rivaldi would have had any influence in the East. In reflection of the events to come, Lord Herrick would wish he had done differently. The discovery of King Kaden's youngest son was supposed to be an event that reunified the realm. The East would recognize the young lord as its future king and fully submit to Rivandi's regency until the child came of age; only that is not what happened. To Eastern Valusians, the timing of the young king's return was suspect and too closely resembled Rivaldi's immaculately timed appearance after the defeat of the Spiders. Easterners questioned the child's lineage which ultimately, despite Lady Androvo's word, could never be proven sufficiently enough to diminish suspicion. With his influence in the East waning, Rivaldi anticipated open dissent and defiance. Before the situation could deteriorate, Rivaldi attempted to remove well established officials in place of his own, easily manipulated delegates. In the event of resistance, the Regent ordered the Red Knights to oversee this transition. This political maneuver went over about as poorly as could be expected. Stubborn law makers barricaded themselves within city buildings and the people, showing full support of their established government figures, took to the streets to voice their objection. Though the entire scene was chaotic, the Red Knights maintained a small amount of order such that the protest did not turn tragic. In turn, the crowds remained somewhat civil in that they did not provoke military response. The people made the transition difficult, and in some cases impossible, without resorting to threats or hostile actions. In time, the installation of Rivaldi's delegation would eventually be completed, but it would not matter. What good are leaders if the people will not serve? What good are captains if their guardsmen refuse to follow orders? Rivaldi quickly learned that while you can replace the people on top, you cannot replace the people as a whole. The stakes were high, and Rivaldi needed to up the ante. As the sword arm of the Church, Rivaldi ordered the Red Knights into action with an even more direct role than before. The knights stationed all across Eastern Valusia were to aid in the reestablishment of order, by any means necessary. To shorten the chain-of-command, authority over these knight contingents was given to the newly placed regional officials. In other words, a handful of recently humiliated noblemen were given instant control over an expertly trained militia with impunity to act against a poorly armed mass of headstrong civilians whose biggest crime was to offend the noblemen. Disaster was inevitable. At first, the show of force began slowly. Law makers increased taxes and ordered the Red Knights to assist in collections. If the people had no means to pay or refused to pay, they were jailed. When the jails became overcrowded, the knights were ordered to ransack homes and confiscate valuables. Begrudgingly, they did so. After roughly a week of this, the people had lost all their valuables or had found betting ways of hiding them. Either way, the second week of confiscations yielded large hordes of rubbish and disobedience continued. "If the people have no more valuables to take", officials though, "then we must take the food from their tables." With noticeable hesitance, the Red Knights again were instrumental in this new scheme. They were at the forefront in gathering perishables from the farms and markets and stood vigilant watch over the storehouses. The people's loathing of their leaders was beginning to extend to the knights who so precisely heeded their beck and call. Insults such as "red dog" and "boot licker" were becoming common terms the people used to describe the once renowned Red Knights. It is unknown whether the degradation of the Red Knights' good name was intentional or just a by-product of Rivaldi's will, nonetheless, he would use this bad publicity to recuse himself of the conflict that would soon ensue. It was an ordinary day when rioting broke out in Hulkin. The people who had submitted to the new rule were lined up outside the storehouses, ready to receive food rations while dissenters cursed at them as they passed by. As always, the Red Knights were there keeping the peace as best they could, but their numbers had dwindled since first arriving in the East. Disgusted by what the chivalrous and righteous Red Knights had been lowered to, several elder members retired from service to return to their families. Others simply walked away to find valor in other ways. Those who remained behind typically fell into one of two mindsets: they either stayed due to some misplaced loyalty in the hopes of some resolution or they stayed because they enjoyed the authority and pay. It was the impatience of these latter knights that started the massacre in Hulkin this day. Tired of holding back the ungrateful masses, tired of being cursed at daily, tired of having feces thrown at them, and of course, tired of inaction, many of the knights could not longer hold back their frustration. One of the knights lashed out and brutalized one of the onlookers. As the people came to the injured man's defense, the knights drew their swords. The standoff quickly erupted into chaos when a few attempted to charge into the storehouse while the knights were distracted. Neither age nor gender kept civilians safe as panic and frustration blended together to paint a picture of violence and death. Many knights and civilians alike were felled either from the fighting or by being trampled upon by the fleeing crowd. All in all, nearly one twenty-five men, women, and children were killed in the riot. Later known as the Red Massacre, a somber and apologetic Rivaldi displayed his concern and outrage over this travesty with an address of people of the realm. Within his rhetoric, Rivaldi made bold assertions of corruption with the ranks of the Red Knights and how they had been strong-arming regional officials with threats of violence. He called them unscrupulous and blasphemous brutes disguised as honest, god-fearing defenders of the realm. He made an appeal to the people revealing his own mistake in trusting the Red Knights with the protection of the people and made personal assurances that such disgusting abuse of power would not go unpunished. He renounced Red Knights everywhere, calling for the dissolution of their order and the immediate arrest of any who would associate these lecherous scoundrels. He did a sufficient job in masking his own hand in creating the tragedy while establishing a precedent to dissolve the Charter of Red and Gold--the document outlining the peace agreement between the Sun Priest and Red Knights. This allowed him to create his own order of knights templar loyal to the church and himself, even after his regency ends. In the time being however, the Regent and High Priest would have much repair work to do. Unrest in Kos Far across the Sea of Bones in the arid lands of Kos, where patience is practically a custom, tensions were reaching a boiling point. Spared from turmoil and destruction spread by the Spider incursion, the people of Kos were suffering nonetheless. Already well documented, the plight of barbarian savagery in the Northern Kingdom had yet to be addressed. For this first time in ages, the people of Kos were beginning to question the competence of their rulers. Trade between the Northern and Eastern Kingdoms had already been in steep decline, even before the economic fallout from the Evernight crippled international trade. The instant news of the Valusian nightmare reached the merchants of Kos, the Eastern sea barons seized and hoarded all incoming and outgoing cargo for themselves in preparation for the worst. The panicked masses caused quite the uproar; an opportune time for the unscrupulous to take advantage of the chaos for personal gain. One such opportunist was Vas Doxera, a two-bit merchant with a silver tongue. While only a few knew him for the swindler he was, his ability to win over crowds quickly trumped his sorted reputation in a time where honest folks were desperate for answers. Seemingly, Vas Doxera had all the answers which pushed him to the forefront of the newly heralded People's Rebellion. With poise and savvy, Doxera whipped the masses into an awful frenzy wherever he spoke. He nurtured this angst with exaggerations of governmental reprisal and spoke of fictitious forces waiting in the shadows to strike. By the time the People's Rebellion finally staged its coup d'etat attempt, Vas Doexera's notoriety had become so overblown that the people practically anointed him as a saint. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect about Doxera's revolt was how initially effective this campaign was before it became totally unraveled by an even more opportunistic Kossian. Enter Zan Kryakas. Shortly before civil unrest would reach its boiling point, Zan Kyrakas was relatively unknown. Considered a studious and quiet man, few expected this middle-tier officer's sudden rise through the ranks. Throughout his military career, Zan displayed the uncanny ability to digest and diagnose battle scenarios and devise exceptional and innovative counter strategies. In nearly any other army in the world, this level of intellect would have been more than enough to merit promotion. In Kos however, rank is less determined by skill than it is by whose backside you are willing to kiss. Favoritism and politics run rampant throughout the Kossian governmental structure, and the same holds true for its military. A greased palm is less likely to cause friction, and there are so many dry hands. Unwilling to accept that authority was simply another commodity, Zan's progression would forever be hindered until he decided to play by rules...or until the rules were changed. In the first few nights of civilian discord, the Rebellion struck major blows against its rulers all across nation. Government officials and their families were harassed and terrorized in their homes, while a select few were dragged into the streets and beaten to death. While this was going on in some areas, in others, trusted military leaders were being murdered as they slept or had close family members abducted or brutalized. It was a terrible time for friends and family of the ruling class, but the forthcoming retribution would come at an even steeper price. The swiftness and precision of these attacks were unprecedented and totally caught the regime by surprise. While Vas Doxera was being lauded by the people, commanders and generals were being chastised by their rulers. There was an influx of resignations and dismissals, mostly out of fear. Both the military and government were in disarray. Those who stayed were granted greater authority and title to replace those who fled. Among those to benefit most from the upheaval was newly promoted General Zan Kryakas. The rules had changed after all, and soon enough, he would find the leverage to rewrite them entirely. The remaining political and military leaders, still reeling from the successful terror campaign, recommended that martial law be declared to restore order. The Kings of Kos were to be placed under heavy guard for their protection and the militia was deployed to cities and townships where officials had been slain. With near impunity, General Zan Kyrakas and his men kicked down doors and scoured the alleyways looking any sign of the rebels. The people were sequestered and questioned, sometimes for days before being returned to their families. When those methods failed to achieve results, the military escalated their interrogation procedures. Beatings, torture, and even public beheadings became the norm. Under these circumstances, officials believed, the people would either break their silence or these actions would incite further riotous activities. Regardless of how the public would react, the military would be there take any exposed rebel leaders into custody or crush any further attempts at insurrection. It would not be long before the people were forced into a move, and General Zan was two steps ahead of them. Using information leaked by informants under Zan's payroll, the civilian militants walked right into an ambush. It was an absolute slaughter and Vas Doxera was believed to be among the dead, a matter of some debate among historians today. Most generally agree that Doxera was slain in the skirmish, but some have made a strong case that Doxera retreated to safety when failure became obvious. Still others believe that Doxera never engaged in that battle at all, taking whatever goods he conned out of the people and leaving them behind to the impending disaster. Regardless of whatever fate actually befell Doxera, the end result remains that the rebellion received a crushing blow from which it would not recover. With the insurgents defeated and order restored, the only thing left to do was to hand out commendations and celebrate the victory. Heralded for the masterful plan that successfully ended the People's Rebellion, General Zan was recommended for promotion to Marshall of the Northern Armies--a position recently vacated as a result of the three nights of terror. In a way, without Vas Doxera, General Zan would never have had the opportunity to reach such a lofty position, and yet it would seem that general had an even greater goal in mind. The appointment of a Marshall is no small event. Indeed, it is the greatest military position a man from Kos can hold and the expense and extravagance of the induction ceremony befits such a great honor. Of course, all the wealthiest and most influential nobles and political figures would be in attendance, including the Three Kings of Kos. The lavish affair was scheduled to take place following a grandiose parade that wound around the streets of Torkesh, the nation's greatest city. For General Zan, it was a welcome fit for a conqueror. Little did anyone know just how appropriate that would be for it was at his own ceremony that Zan Kryakas would unhatch his plot, in the midst of his own speech no less. While previous speakers prattled on about their own shallow definitions of honor, valor, and service, Zan spoke of Kossian tradition. He spoke of their tradition of losing wars. He spoke of their tradition to overwork the impoverished. He spoke of their tradition to bow needlessly to undeserving leaders. And then he spoke of how all these traditions had been passed down from their fathers and their fathers' fathers like priceless relics. Then he explained that "relics are not precious simply because they are old, but because they are rare or because they are useful. Certainly we can agree that traditions such as these are neither." The atmosphere had grown tense as officials and nobles looked on with disapproval, but the mood would soon turn to terror. "It is with great pride that I can say such traditions will end today." With all the attention focused on Zan, the audience did not notice the five dark figures that had entered during his speech. With only a mere nod from the Marshall, the assassins began their slaughter. They worked methodically , first targeting the Kings of Kos and their family members then moving on to clearly designated officials even as the panicked crowd attempted to flee. For many, there would be no escape for the soldiers whom they thought were stationed there to protect them had barred the doors from the outside. It seemed that the few who survived were either too valuable to execute or were intentionally left as witnesses. Meanwhile, all across Kos, the lineage of the former Kings would be extinguished; firmly insuring that this regime change would have no future opponents with rightful claim. In the early light of the next day, Zan Kyrakas proclaimed himself the Lord High Ruler of Kos with an infectious diatribe of nationalism that would set the tone for his country's shift from mercantilism to militarism. He promised that the stockpiles of wealth the greedy had been hording for themselves would be used to build the greatest nation of all. The people would no longer fear invasion, for they would become the invaders. No longer would they serve like slaves, but instead become kings themselves. He sated their every desire with talk of retribution and justice while simultaneously allaying their mistrust using words like equality and commonwealth. He convinced them that it was now an "empire of the people" and that he was just the overseer of its construction. He destroyed all that they knew, and the people loved him for it. Time will only tell if the feeling is mutual. The Eastern Rebellion As young Jarrel Kaden's 14th birthday quickly approached, so too was Regent Rivaldi's reign over Valusia coming to a close. When he first took office, the people thought he would be the beacon of light that would guide Valusia from the darkness of Evernight. Instead, his tenure left Valusia with tremendous holes to fill. The once great protectors of the realm had been dissolved in favor of sun priest loyalists serving only the church. On top of that, the discord in the East had yet to be fully resolved. Rather than living in open defiance, the people of Hulkin and Endin now lived in fear, leaving their dissenting voices in the cellars or backrooms of taverns. For these people, the coronation of the new king could not come soon enough. For the first time in history, there was not a single representative of the Red Knights in attendance at the King's coronation. In fact, quite a few foreign dignitaries were absent from this event as well, either due to regional events or simply because they were not invited. Presumably occupied with the Orcallum invasion, there were no Dwarf dignitaries. According to the Elves, no dignitaries arrived for no invitation was received. There were very few Kossian dignitaries as their regime was in flux. No invitations were sent to either the Khajiit or White Town since neither would likely send representatives anyway. Furthermore, the Eastern cities were also poorly represented for reasons that both Eastern and Western officials dispute. Much like the Elves, the East claims that invitations were not sent in an attempt to sabotage relations with the King. On the other side, the West claims that every effort was made and that the inadequately protected roads of Eastern Valusia were likely to blame. Ultimately, the rationale for the dispute is inconsequential. What matters is that the Eastern cities missed a rare opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the King. Unsurprisingly, this blunder, accidental or otherwise, would have immediate ramifications. The most obvious consequence occurred when the King assembled his council. Comprised of officials from throughout the realm, a hefty allotment of Western nobles and officers were selected leaving future policies to heavily favor Western interests. To further compound the matter, those whom were selected from the East were commonly regarded as Rivald's "lap dogs"; officials more concerned at pleasing the former Regent and less concerned about the welfare of the people. Truly the people of the East lost the King's ear before they had even the chance to utter the faintest whisper. For them to once again prosper, action would need to be taken. At this point, the secession of Endin and Hulkin was a foregone conclusion. The appointment of Rivaldi as head of the council and the renaming of the realm were just formalities. The people of the East just needed someone to lead them. To the astonishment of all, it would be the Red Knights who would lead the vanguard of separatism. Though they had suffered indignity and disgrace, those who remained true to the Order continued their vigilance in serving the realm, protecting its people, and honoring the light of Solace. For certain, it was not easy to walk the path of the Red Knight, and much less so after the dissolution of the Charter of Red and Gold. Indeed, many a Knight were undone by the role Regent Rivaldi's decree placed them in. Both loathed and feared by the people they swore to protect, the Order was forced to hid in the shadows and wait. Some were impatient and were discovered. A life of imprisonment awaited them, if they were lucky. Death awaited those who were not. Some were conflicted having to forsake one vow for another. The Church awaited eagerly for those who would forsake their brothers. Madness awaited those who could not decide. The Order dwindled like the dying light of a hearth fire's last ember. Whether through arrogance or ignorance, Rivaldi failed to stamp out the coals. It does not take a genius to see that even the faintest little ember can spark a conflagration when the conditions are right, and in the East, there was no shortage of kindling. Knight Sovereign Varos was not in Hulkin when Rivaldi first stationed the Red Knights there. He was not in Hulkin when the its politicians were forcibly replaced. He was not there when taxes were increased. He was not there when food was stolen from the mouths of the hungry or even when the rioting broke out. In fact, Knight Sovereign Varos had never been to Endin throughout his entire decorated career, but when he heard of the devastation that his Order was accused of, he knew that Hulkin was exactly the place he needed to be. He was at first met with contempt and scorn. Even if the people did not know him, they had come to believe the lies of the High Priest. The Red Knights were now unwelcome in every corner of Valusia, and doubly so in Hulkin, but this did not dissuade him. His task was too vital. He could not allow either his stature or his affiliation to prevent him from repairing the damage done in the name of the Red Knights and in the name of Solace. And so he gave up his knighthood and the benefits it entitled him to: his wealth, his home, and even his blade were sacrificed so he could help those who would not accept his help otherwise. He have up everything save for the meager belongings he carried with him, his faith in the people, and his faith in the almighty Solace. Varos may not have been the first to give up his knighthood, but he was the first to truly make a difference. By the time of the King's coronation, he had become a community leader, even if the city government did not recognize him as such. And he was not alone. When news spread of Varos' selfless deeds, others who had given up the sword and shield soon followed in his footsteps. His actions rejuvenated the downtrodden community and helped restore their faith in Solace. He had the people convinced that once Rivald's reign as Regent ended, the King would surely hear the cries of his people. When those cries went unanswered, he was heartbroken; not because he had failed but because he so desperately wished to avoid what must come next. In his heart and mind, Varos conceded that the young King was likely in the pocket of High Priest Rivaldi. It made sense, after all. Rivaldi was the one who announced his discovery to the people. Rivaldi was the one who announced that the child would one day be King. And Rivaldi was the one who put a crown on his head. It was logical, Varos thought, that Rivaldi had been filling the boy with his own, personal doctrine for years. He probably raised the child like a son. To Varos, it was undeniable that the King and the realm remained firmly in the hands of the High Priest, even if he was no longer the one sitting on the throne. Convinced that the hardship in the East would not be solved through politics, Varos sought other means of relieving this burden. So the backrooms and cellars were no longer filled simply with words of dissent, but with words of organization, and planning, and hope. Varos gathered all who would listen, and they were many. Farmers, merchants, artisans, ousted politicians, guardsmen, and of course, former knight brethren. The people understood what needed to be done to restore sanity and they rallied behind Varos believing fully that he could deliver them from the tyranny of the Church. The plan was extremely simple. The community, every last member, would march upon city hall and draw out those officials whom have sated selfish desires at the expense of the people. At the forefront of this assembly, Varos and his knight brethren would don their red plumed helms once more and stand as the protectorates of the people. Together, the Red Knights and the people of Hulkin would give their false leaders an undeniable show of force in the name of unity and freedom. Though wishing not for bloodshed, these free men would leave this one final decision firmly in the hands of "Rivaldi's lap dogs". As the terrified loyalists cowered behind the handful of soldiers who had not turned against them, Varos quieted the crowd that had completely encircled the hall. He then delivered his ultimatum. The loyalists would be allowed to leave, unharmed, with the clothes on their back and whatever trinkets they could carry themselves. They would be given a single carriage and an escort to the city gates. All he asked for in return was for their guardsmen to relinquish their swords and for their promise to deliver a message to High Priest Rivaldi. The message read: These were poignant words emphasizing Rivaldi's betrayal of his vows as Magnate, Regent, and High Priest while also highlighting him as the prime reason for Hulkin's succession. This same message was sent, in varying forms, to every city of the realm. Though the purpose of this message was to incite suspicion of Rivaldi's motives in any who would read it, it was also meant to inspire others to rise up against tyranny and corrupted dogma. And while it did have that effect, it may as well have been a declaration of war. Varos had to know that Rivaldi's response, and thus also the King's, would be military action but perhaps he still held out a shred of hope that the King would make the noble decision. Or perhaps he knew that war would be inevitable and this would be his rallying cry. Either way, the people of Hulkin were diligently preparing for the upcoming siege when they received the news--Endin had also seceded. Maybe the people of Hulkin were not in this fight alone anymore. Though separated by a great distance, both cities had faced similar hardships, even if Hulkin certainly had the worst of it. With hearts uplifted, their thoughts turned to talk of military support or some other form of alliance, but Varos had something greater in mind. Before the Spiders veiled the land in Evernight, King Kaden was shaping the Kingdom of Valusia to be a realm of tolerance and togetherness. In fact, it was this mindset that inspired the combined forces of Elves, Dwarves, and Men to thwart the Spider invasion in the first place. In that vein, Varos reasoned, why not continue his work to build a better Valusia using those same ideals. His new found friends in Endin had little reason to disagree, and so in the spirit of Jarrel Kaden's quest for unity, the Republic of Valusia was formed. The formation of the Republic, and the military aid Hulkin would receive, was cause enough for Rivaldi to rethink his strategy. Amassing the King's Army and his own Knights Templar against a single force was an easy decision to make. The potential for facing a second army changed the game entirely. Would Hulkin double its guard? Would the force from Endin move to flank the approaching King's Army? Would they launch a counter attack against King's Port? When it came to military planning, Varos had the upper hand for it was a game that he had far more experience with than Rivaldi. Even though the King's war council toiled to devise a battle plan, the High Priest was unafraid to raise the stakes. Upon the advice of the High Priest, King Kaden II made a royal decree outlawing any form of worship other than that of the one true god, Solace. Furthermore, anyone practicing the worship of other deities would be pronounced as heretic of the Church, a crime which would henceforth be punishable by death. Taking this once step further, Rivaldi revealed a proclamation sealed by the King that declared the Red Knights and their affiliates as heretics of the Church. In essence, this series decrees and proclamations made working with the Red Knights a death sentence. It was a twisted scheme meant to incite fear into any who would dare rally to the separatist's cause, but also had more sinister consequences. It forced the conversion to Solicisim for many non-humans living in the West and consigned a number of former Red Knights to the gallows, including retired Paladin Eron Chevalos. The elderly Chevalos, now too weak to even lift his sword, had lived through the Forth Race War, the Spider Invasion, and countless other skirmishes that time has forgotten. His executioners practically had to carry him to the noose. There was not a cloud in the sky on this brisk autumn day, and yet it was said the sky dimmed briefly just after his passing. For a time, fear of opposing the will of the Church kept the populace in check, but it would not prevent the secession of Losston. In fact, this doctrine quite possibly became the cause of its departure. Known as being the closest Human city to the realm of Elves, Losston has been largely influenced by this proximity. Not only have they maintained a healthy relationship with the Wood Elves, especially after the Evernight, but they also boast the highest percentage of Elven citizens. The Edict of Singular Divinity, as supporters of the Church have called it, threatened a great number of Losston's Elven populace. Though wholly uninterested in converting to Solicism, the prospect fighting another war so soon after Evernight was equally unappealing. Instead, the people of Losston would join neither cause, opting for independence instead. As a sign of good faith between the people of Losston and the realm of Elves, the Circle of Elders pledged military support to the upstart nation in the event that either the Kingdom of Solace or the Republic of Valusia attempted to claim the city. The outcome was something that neither Kingdom nor Republic wanted but both had to live with. When the Spiders were defeated so many years ago, the survivors thought they would be able to rebuild their nation in peace. They were woefully ignorant that when great men like King Kaden die, they are not always replaced with greater men. When dawn finally broke over the land of Valusia, they flocked to the first reflection of light they could find within the shattered kingdom. What they found was a mirror that reflected only the truth they wished to see, and not deception that stood behind it. By the time this darkness was revealed, evil had already usurped the good and plunged the nation into war. This Dawn War, as it will one day be called, pitted former countrymen against one another beneath the glow of Solace. Those who stood in the light cast a dark shadow over the land. Those who tended the fire sought only to keep the people from the shade. No matter the cost or the cause, whomever emerges victorious from the fire of war will need to contend with its ashes. Epilogue